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For people who live with a disability or reduced mobility, getting around is not always easy – however, requirements such as those outlined in the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) are in place to ensure equal access for all.

The DDA requires every commercial and public space to be accessible to everyone, and this includes your staging. So if you have an existing stage (or plan to install a stage soon) it is essential that your stage meets accessibility requirements.

The good news is that choosing ramps that are compliant and that suit your unique staging requirements can be simple and stress-free. In this article, we share our top tips on making the right ramp selections for your school, workplace, shopping centre, public space, or venue.

Choosing ramps for compliance

Before you dive in and make any ramp selections, it is important that you have an understanding of the DDA and the building regulations that go with it. To explain, the DDA does not determine the building specifications for ramps and other accessible features – it makes the recommendations about what is needed to create an environment that can be accessed by all, regardless of their ability.

Specifications for DDA compliance in buildings are found within the AS 1428.1: 2021, and this includes the specifications for DDA-compliant ramps. The requirements around ramps are related to a range of features such as the gradient, landing, handrail, and clearance. To simplify the process of choosing ramps for compliance, always work with an expert team who fully understands the requirements to be sure your ramp will pass the strict Australian standards.

Key considerations for ramp selections

When it comes to choosing the right access ramp, there are some key considerations to look at to ensure your ramp ticks all of the essential boxes. These are:

• Compliance – Is your ramp DDA compliant? Does it meet the strict specifications within AS 1428.1:2021?
• Safety – Is your ramp safe to use? Does it have all the necessary safety elements? Is it constructed with quality materials that will stand the test of time?
• Aesthetics – Does your ramp blend with your stage? Is it aesthetically pleasing and does it fit within the colours/theme of your building?
• Flexibility – Can you choose between a permanent and portable solution? If portable, how easy is it to set up, pack up, and store your ramp? 

The benefits of a Select Staging ramp

With decades of experience designing and building stage solutions and ramps for Australians, our team provides ramp solutions that are fully compliant with Australian standards. We design and manufacture ramps for our own stage solutions, and can also retrofit a ramp to any existing stage (even those made by our competitors). 

The strength of our ramps come from the premium plywood podium and unique aluminium extrusion, which allow us to build custom access ramps that are safe, strong, and fully compliant. Every Select Staging ramp comes complete with all the necessary safety features such as handrails, landing podiums, and joiners, and they can be installed as a permanent fixture or as a versatile portable solution that is easy to set up and dismantled by two people as required. This gives you the flexibility to choose an access ramp that perfectly suits your requirements.

Talk to us about your access ramp needs today

Whether you are looking for a ramp for your school, venue, workplace, public space, or within any other commercial or public building, we can help. We’d love to work with you to create the perfect ramp solution – so if you’re keen to learn more, contact our team for friendly advice today.